Lenovo and f Xiaomi, set to face immense ‘home challenge’ in the Indian mobile market

Lenovo and f Xiaomi, set to face immense ‘home challenge’ in the Indian mobile market

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Tinno phone? Or a Huaqin or a Malata? The world’s second biggest and fastest growing mobile phone market is about to be rushed off by virtually unheard of Chinese brands+. Not to forget Infinix and Cat phones —products from other countries that are comparatively less known but have big plans for India.

Most of them are looking at the feature phone to Smartphone renovation market — only 300 million of 1 billion phone users in India have smart phones — as well as at feature phones. Chinese products will be, predictably, fiercely price-competitive.

And India is the primary market they will aim in a big way under their own brand name. These companies generally make their money by making phones for better-known brands.

Chinese brand has already entered India — iVoomi launched four Smartphone models a few days back.

“Innovative equipment makers or even original design making companies that have been so far limited to China, such as Tinno, Malata and Huaqin, also get ready to come to India because China’s market itself has slowed down,”said a senior industry executive. He did not want to be named as he in recent times enthused on from a local handset maker.

Emails to Shenzen-based Tinno and Shanghai-headquartered Huaqin did not bring out responses, while Malata Mobiles, also based out of Shenzen, could not be reached for comment.

Chinese brands have already in used four out of the top five slots in India’s Smartphone segment: Xiaomi at No 2, followed by Lenovo, Oppo and Vivo. The share of China-based sellers is a huge 46% for the October-December 2016 quarter.

Their shipments have been twice over the same period last year, as per IDC data.

“We will see new participant in the market as India carries on to be one of the fastest growing Smartphone market in the world and is expected to grow at 19% in 2017,” added Tarun Pathak, elder forecaster at Counterpoint Research, referring to recognized brands like Nokia – feature phone and smart phones – making a comeback to India by June, only because they see a strong local potential.